Michał Wieczorek

Objectives: This cross-sectional case–control study, conducted at the Department of Physiotherapy, Academy of Physical Education, in Katowice, between July 2022 and April 2023, aimed to assess the overall health status (OHS) of patients with mild-to-moderate cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) compared with a healthy control population. Methods: The SF-36 questionnaire was used to evaluate the following domains: physical functioning (PF), role limitations due to physical health problems (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role limitations due to emotional problems (RE), and mental health (MH). Results: A total of 152 participants were enrolled in the study. The CuTS and control groups consisted of 82 and 70 individuals, respectively. The CuTS group had significantly lower scores in most domains when compared with the control group; however, no significant difference was observed in the BP domain. Notably, the VT domain showed a statistically significant difference in favor of the CuTS group, indicating slightly higher perceived vitality despite functional limitations. Conclusions: Mild and moderate forms of CuTS are associated with significant deterioration in general health, encompassing both physical and psychological components, as assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire; however, no significant difference was observed in the BP domain, suggesting that the burden of CuTS may manifest more strongly in functional, psychosocial, and mental health aspects rather than in generalized pain perception. These findings highlight the importance of a comprehensive evaluation and management strategy that addresses both physical and psychosocial dimensions of patient care.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of manual therapy based on neurodynamic techniques and electrophysical modalities in the conservative treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS). A total of 128 upper limbs affected by CuTS were initially enrolled in this study, with 82 completing the full treatment protocol. The participants were divided into the following two intervention arms: the first arm (MT) (42 arms) received therapy based on sliding and tensioning neurodynamic techniques, while the second arm (EM) (40 arms) underwent physiotherapy based on electrophysical modalities, specifically low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and ultrasound therapy (US). Chi² and Student’s t-test were used to compare the intervention arms, and no statistically significant differences were found. The evaluated outcomes included nerve conduction testing, ultrasound assessments (measuring cross-sectional area and shear modulus), pain levels, two-point discrimination, thresholds for cutaneous sensory perception, symptom severity, functional ability in specific tasks, and overall post-treatment improvement. Baseline comparisons indicated no statistically significant differences in any measured variables between the intervention groups (p > 0.05). Following treatment, each group exhibited significant improvements in their respective parameters (p < 0.01). Comparisons between groups post-intervention revealed statistically significant differences in nerve conduction results, ultrasound measurements (cross-sectional area and shear modulus), two-point discrimination, and sensory perception thresholds. These parameters improved more in the MT intervention arm. The use of neurodynamic techniques, ultrasound, and low-level laser therapy in the conservative treatment of mild to moderate forms of CuTS has a beneficial therapeutic effect.

Background/Objective: To assess the effectiveness of therapy based on sliding and tensioning neurodynamic techniques in the conservative treatment of mild and moderate forms of cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) compared to sham therapy. Methods: A single-blinded, randomized placebo-controlled trial. The study was conducted at several medical clinics. Individuals diagnosed with CuTS (initially 136 subjects, of whom 91 completed the full protocol) participated in the experiment. In the experimental group (MT), sliding and tensioning neurodynamic techniques were applied, whereas in the control group (ST), a sham therapy was used, involving the performance of neurodynamic techniques in an intermediate position without following the specific neurodynamic sequence for the ulnar nerve. The therapy was administered five times per week over the course of 10 sessions. All participants underwent assessments, including nerve conduction studies, ultrasound imaging (cross-sectional area and shear modulus), pain levels, two-point discrimination sensation, cutaneous sensory perception threshold, symptoms, ability to perform certain activities, and changes in improvement following treatment. Results: A baseline assessment revealed no significant inter-group differences in all examined parameters (p > 0.05). After therapy, there was a statistically significant intra-group improvement in all parameters tested (p < 0.01). In the MT group, the intra-group differences were significant across all parameters tested (p < 0.01). However, in the ST group (sham therapy), only the shear modulus showed statistically significant changes, while the other tested parameters remained unchanged. Conclusions: Neurodynamic techniques demonstrate superior therapeutic effects compared to sham therapy in the treatment of mild to moderate forms of CuTS.